[Revisions: Tuesday, July 16, 2024]

Draco was about to head to the Dorms, but he stopped when he saw Basil wasn't walking with him. He turned to face him.

"Hey, are you coming with us?" Draco asked.

Basil's bright green eyes intently stared at Draco's stormy grey eyes.

"Yeah. I'll meet you guys soon. I need a word with our Head of House," Basil responded.

"Want me to stay with you?" Draco asked, sounding concerned.

"No. No. I'll be fine," Basil reassured.

"Okay. Which bed do you want?" Draco asked.

"Closest to the door," Basil warmly smiled.

Draco nodded in response, turning around. He glanced back at Basil one last time, seeing the young wizard stare at Severus. He looked away and quickly followed his male housemates to their dorm.

Severus watched all of his 1st-year Slytherins enter their respective dorms. He was about to head to his office but stopped when he heard a young masculine voice say his name.

"Professor Snape," Basil called out, causing Severus to stare at him.

Severus's cold black eyes intently stared at Basil's bright green eyes.

How bizarre. This room is usually very dark at night. But, the only light I see is the boy's eyes, which are your eyes, Lily, Severus thought sadly.

"Yes?" Severus responded.

"I... I got told that I can come to you if I have problems or need something to say," Basil said bashfully.

"That is correct. As your Head of House, I will always be there for you," Severus's gaze softened. "Has someone caused you problems already?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Basil recalled his conversation with Pansy but didn't say anything, not wanting to risk being called a tattletale on his first day at a new school.

"No. But I do have some concerns," Basil responded.

"And what are those concerns?" Severus asked.

"Was the Slytherin Common Room always in the dungeons? I mean, I read Hogwarts: A History. It stated that the Slytherins had been living here for many years. And I honestly do not know when that book got published. Maybe it was this year? But, were you the one that wanted Slytherins to live here, or was it the Headmaster?" Basil babbled.

Severus cracked a smile, and his cold black eyes began to tear up since Basil reminded him of Lily.

"Sev! Gryffindors live in this massive tower on the right side of Hogwarts. I felt like I was a Princess. Where do Slytherins live? Is it true that they live in the dungeons? Black told some of our housemates that Slytherins live in the dungeons since he states that all Slytherins are evil. I hope it is a rumor. I have seen how dungeons look in Muggle films, and it is pretty scary," 11-year-old Lily Evans babbled.

"We do live in the dungeons, Lil," 11-year-old Severus responded.

"What!" Lily gasped while staring at Severus with wide, furious, bright green eyes.

"Why would the Headmaster allow students to live in the dungeons? Doesn't he know that dungeons are a safety hazard? Dungeons are mainly used for prisoners or people who commit horrible crimes-" Lily stopped talking and sadly stared at Severus.

"Sev, I know you got sorted into Slytherin. But I do not see you as a horrible person!" Lily grabbed Severus's hands, her bright green eyes staring at him intently.

"Professor? What's wrong?" Basil's voice brought Severus back to reality.

"Hm?" Severus hummed in response.

"You are... you are crying," Basil said with a concerned gaze.

Severus looked away from Basil and turned his gaze to the nearest mirror. He indeed saw some tears falling from his cold black eyes.

"Forgive me. You reminded me of someone, that's all," Severus confessed.

Basil's bright green eyes blinked, and he adorably tilted his head to the side, staring at Severus with a confused gaze.

"A bad person?" Basil asked, sounding concerned since he had seen Severus cry and thought he had said something awful to give him such a reaction.

Severus turned his gaze to Basil and shook his head.

"No. She was not a bad person," Severus reassured.

"She?" Basil raised an eyebrow, looking curious.

"Yes. My... my best friend. Or someone I once considered my best friend," Severus said sadly, his cold black eyes intently staring at Basil's bright green eyes.

Basil silently stared at Severus.

"Her name... her name was Lily. Lily Evans," Severus confessed while looking away to stare at the Great Lake.

Basil's bright green eyes blinked, and his eyes widened when he heard that Severus's best friend was his mother. He recalled learning about his parents from his maternal Aunt, Petunia. And he remembered learning that his mother's name before she married his father was Lily Evans.

"You knew... you knew my mum?" Basil asked, looking surprised.

Severus nodded and turned his gaze to Basil, seeing the young wizard stare at him with mixed emotions.

"What... what can you tell me about her?" Basil walked up to Severus, his hands tightly grasping the older wizard's robes.

Severus silently stared at Basil since his hopeful, longing gaze reminded him of Lily.

"My aunt... my Aunt Petunia, she only remembers her childhood with Mum. Aunt Petunia admitted that she and Mum weren't close growing up because of how Mum became a witch while she didn't become one when they were my age," Basil explained.

Severus looked slightly surprised to hear that Lily's older sister, Petunia, spoke about Lily to Basil.

"I can tell you much about your mother, but you must rest. You have classes in the morning," Severus reminded.

Basil adorably pouted but nodded in response.

"Promise?" Basil held his pinky finger out to Severus.

Severus softly smiled at Basil and nodded. He held his pinky finger out as well, and the two males wrapped their pinkies around each other, promising to talk about Lily when they could.

"Have a good rest, Basil. Just know, if you ever need anything, my office is there," Severus pointed to a portrait of Salazar Slytherin.

"Okay!" Basil beamed, feeling happy that his Head of House was once best friends with his mother.

"Have a good evening, Professor!" Basil unwrapped his pinky finger, waved goodbye, and ran towards the Male Dorms.

Severus silently watched Basil open the door and enter the Male Dorms. He looked away and stared down at his pinky finger. He lightly hugged his pinky finger with his other hand and softly smiled.

"I promise you, Lily, I will take good care of your Basil. And that no harm will come to him during his time here at Hogwarts," Severus promised. He walked towards his office and stepped inside, the portrait closing behind him.

Basil stood outside his dorm room and glanced at the silver marker beside the door. He read the names of his roommates and widely smiled when he saw that his roommates were Draco, Theodore, and Blaise.

Basil opened the door and stepped inside. His bright green eyes blinked when he heard snoring, letting him know his roommates were asleep. He closed the door behind him, making sure not to make a sound.

"There you are," a masculine voice grabbed Basil's attention.

Startled, Basil looked at his surroundings. His bright green eyes blinked when he saw Draco sitting on a bed near the window and staring at him.

"You're awake?" Basil asked, looking surprised.

"Of course I am, Green Eyes. I was waiting for you. Blaise and Theo are already asleep," Draco glanced at Blaise, sleeping on the opposite side of the window. He then glanced at Theodore, sleeping on the opposite side of the door.

"I am so sorry for keeping you awake. I was speaking to Professor Snape. And he revealed something to me," Basil confessed while smiling.

Basil walked towards his bed and raised an eyebrow. He saw that his bed was prepared and all his belongings were in their proper wardrobes.

"What did Professor Snape reveal?" Draco asked, looking curious.

"Professor Snape told me that he was once best friends with my mum," Basil said. Turning to face Draco, he brightly smiled at him.

Draco looked surprised when he heard that his godfather knew Basil's mother.

"I only know so little about my mum. Many, well, basically, my Aunt Petunia and even some of Mum's Muggle school friends before she attended Hogwarts tell me that I look so much like her.

I have seen pictures of my mum in photo albums or at home. But it still surprises me to see how much I look like her. We have the same hair color, the same eye color, and even the same facial structure. I am basically like the guy version of my mum," Basil confessed while grabbing his pajamas from his bed.

"Your mum must have been beautiful if you say you look like her," Draco mumbled, finding Basil attractive.

"What?" Basil asked since he didn't hear what Draco said.

"I said the guys, and I fixed your bed and made sure all of your stuff was in the proper wardrobes," Draco smoothly spoke.

Basil blushed, embarrassed that the guys had to fix his bed and put all his clothes away.

"Thanks!" Basil beamed, feeling grateful.

"Also, Professor Snape promised he would let me know all about my mum when he can," Basil happily told Draco.

"That's good. And I know Professor Snape will keep his promise. How do I know that? Well, he is my godfather. I have known him for so many years because he and my parents are close friends and former housemates," Draco explained.

Basil looked surprised to hear that Professor Snape is Draco's godfather.

"Good to know. Well, I will get dressed and brush my teeth to rest finally. Have a good evening," Basil softly smiled at Draco, turned to the bathroom, and stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

"Good night," Draco whispered as he lay on his bed and silently stared at the ceiling.

How do I explain to my mother and father that I am friends with Basil and that Basil is the brother of the so-called Wizarding Savior? Draco asked himself, looking conflicted.

Draco felt his grey eyes getting heavier and yawned, feeling sleepy. He slowly closed his eyes and began to fall asleep.

Basil stepped out of the bathroom ten minutes later, dressed in pajamas. He closed the door behind him and softly smiled when he saw his friends asleep. He looked away and quietly walked towards his bed.

"Good night, everyone," Basil whispered while lying on his bed and silently staring at the ceiling.

Mum and Dad, please watch over Harry and me during our stay here at Hogwarts. Please have a good evening, Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and Dudley. I miss you all and cannot wait to write about my first week at Hogwarts. Harry, I hope we can still be there for one another despite being in two different houses. Basil internally spoke and closed his bright green eyes as he began to fall asleep.